US President Joe Biden on Friday presented what he described as a three-phase Israeli proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages. He said, “It’s time for this war to end” and received a positive initial response. from Hamas.
The first phase includes a six-week ceasefire, during which Israeli forces would withdraw from “all populated areas” of Gaza, some hostages – including the elderly and women – would be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, Palestinian civilians would return and 600 trucks a day would bring humanitarian aid to the devastated enclave.
In the second, open-ended phase, Hamas and Israel would negotiate terms for a permanent end to hostilities, with the ceasefire extended as long as talks continue. The third phase would include a major reconstruction plan for Gaza.
